Quissanga Island, in northern Mozambique’s Quirimba Archipelago, reminds of the charm of minimalism.
The skippers at Medjumbe Island Resort, accessible via Pemba, are so skilful that they can get a 10m boat within a casual step’s distance from the beach without the craft touching the sand – regardless, somehow, of the tides. Climbing on board for the short transfer to Quissanga Island, visible from Medjumbe and a couple of kilometres closer to the mainland, is the beginning of a journey across the spectrum of different colours water can be.
Inside Medjumbe’s encircling reef, it’s almost clear in the shadows, with the slightest hint of aquamarine a little out. Before crossing that barrier it becomes a turquoise so intense it is almost painful to look at without sunglasses. And then, as the swell grows and the boat ventures out over the channels, the water changes to a profound indigo – almost black in the deeper areas. That range then reverses as the sea-floor slopes up towards Quissanga again, to be explored first-hand later with a mask and snorkel.
Simple pleasure
The set-up on the small island is, by design, very unassuming. The infrastructure is limited to one raised thatch lapa, with a bar, a sitting area and a four-poster bed with a mosquito net – plus an unpretentious ablution area to one side. Guests spending a day on Quissanga can take these basic elements and fit them to a desired schedule, having the bed moved to the beach if the weather is clear or a picnic set up on a cleared, swept area in a copse of coconut palm trees in the centre of the island.
Denne historien er fra March 2019-utgaven av Skyways.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 2019-utgaven av Skyways.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Fit For Purpose
Changing legislation offers a range of opportunities in the health sector
Good For Grinches
Finally! A holiday season Scrooge himself can invest in
A Paradise In The Wilderness
Visitors find freedom at Treedom on the Garden Route
Do It For The Kids
Parenting styles play an important role in helping children develop through the pandemic and beyond
Trekking With Teens
Travelling with adolescents comes with a unique set of challenges
Know Your Mind
Our brain uses shortcuts to think quickly but, sometimes, these mental timesavers let us down. Dr Pragya Agarwal discusses the science of cognitive biases, and why it’s more important than ever to understand how they hold sway over our views
Infected With The Travel Bug Again
As tourism-related establishments up their game to ensure visitor health and safety, it’s possible to feel positive about travelling again
Star attraction
Greater Kruger lodge makes a spectacular first impression
Palala position
The effect of the past on the present is positively felt in a luxury Waterberg lodge
Can the spam!
Irrelevant advertising will almost certainly turn consumers against your product